Earth Science B exam review

1.Define groundwater.

Water flowing below the surface in the pore spaces of rock and sediment.

Define watershed.

The area of land that will contribute water to a stream or river.

Example: Grand River watershed-water that lands in this area will flow into the

Grand River.

What is the continental divide and where does the water go?

It is a line that runs through the Rocky Mountains separating the water that will

flow to the Pacific Ocean and the water that flows to the Atlantic Ocean.

How does the stream path differ in the mountains versus a flood plain ? There will be

diagrams for these questions.

The stream will will flow straighter in the mountains

How does velocity vary with slope?

The greater the slope/gradient the faster the water will flow.

How does the size of sediment vary as it is deposited by a river into an ocean?

The largest sediment will be close to the shore and the smallest pieces will go

the farthest out into the ocean.

Where does the Grand River flow into?

Lake Michigan

What part of the hydrological cycle is most affected by fertilizers in the soil?

Groundwater

How would the coastal groundwater be affected due to the lowering of the water

table?

If the water table is lowered enough saltwater can flow inland contaminating the

groundwater.

10. Given a diagram, be able to identify whether an artesian well will flow from its

surface.

In order for water to flow out of an artesian well, the water in the confined aquifer

must be at a higher elevation than the top of the well, so it has enough pressure

to flow out.

What type of rock material would be the best for an aquifer? worst?

Sandstone= good aquifer (high porosity and permeability)

Shale or Clay= poor aquifer (low permeability)

In what type of aquifer (unconfined / confined) would the least amount of

contamination occur?

A confined aquifer would have the least amount of contamination, because it only

has a small section at the surface where pollutants could enter through the

recharge zone.

Be able to look at a diagram and predict the direction of contamination flow.

Water flows downhill, unless there is an impermeable layer preventing the water

from moving through the ground.

How does the water table affect water flowing into and out of a stream?

If the water table is higher on the sides of a stream the water will flow downhill

into the stream. If the water table is lower than the stream the stream will have

water flowing out of it into the ground.

How does the cone of depression affect multiple well intakes?

The cone of depression from a deep well could cause shallower wells to go dry if

the water table is lowered enough.

What are the two greenhouse gases that are of most concern because they have been added in large amounts by human activities?

Methane and Carbon Dioxide

How exactly does the ozone layer help life on Earth?

It absorbs UV energy

How does latitude affect incoming solar radiation (Insolation)? How much sunlight does 90 degrees N receive in the winter months?

The tropics receive more radiation than points at higher latitudes.

90 degrees N is the north pole. It get no sunlight in the winter.

List 2 natural variables that may cause short term climate change. List one natural variable that may cause long term climate change.

Short term= volcanic eruptions, variations in solar output, meteorite impact

Long term= changes in the Earth's orbital position.

What is the affect of volcanic eruptions on the incoming solar radiation (Insolation)?

the erupted material blocks incoming solar radiation, so it will cool Earth’s temperatures.

What is the name of the phenomenon that Naturally warms Earthʼs surface?

Greenhouse effect

Are some of the greenhouse gases produced by human activities? Are ALL produced by human activities?

Yes, we produce methane, carbon dioxide...

No, many of the gases are produce naturally through volcanic eruptions, decaying

materials...

List 2 affects of a global rise in sea level.

Flooding coastlines and increased erosion of coastlines

What is the relationship between the number and intensity of hurricanes to ocean temperatures?

The warmer the water is the more frequent and more intense the hurricanes will be.

List 3 possible consequences of global warming.

Flooding, coastal erosion, change in ocean circulation, biosphere change

What is the molecular formula for ozone?

O3

If the ozone layer were destroyed, what would the long range affect be on Earthʼs surface?

Increased UV radiation

What gas is of MOST concern in relation to global warming?

Carbon Dioxide

What beneficial effect does ozone in the upper atmosphere have on Earth?

It blocks UV radiation

What are cathrates?

greenhouse gases (methane) trapped in sediments frozen on the ocean floor

List 3 things that provide scientists with clues about Earthʼs past climates.

Fossil record/striation, Oxygen Isotope data, CO2 in ice cores

If the oceans become warmer, what might the affect be on the cathrates?

The cathrates will melt, which will release methane into the atmosphere increasing global warming.

Are landforms, such as glacial deposits and glacial erosion in areas that do not currently have glaciers, a sign that Earthʼs climate has varied in the past?

Yes

During interglacial times (i.e. warmer climates such as now), what would you expect to observe from Oxygen isotope data in ocean sediment deposited during that warm time?

Interglacial: observe a higher ratio of O16 in ocean sediment

Ice Age: observe a lower amount of O16 in ocean sediment because it is trapped in newly formed ice.

What caused the sun to form from an interstellar gas and dust cloud?

Gravity

After the Sun formed, what did the planets form from and how did it happened?

The planets formed from the left over material that did not become part of the Sun.

How are the following regions of space related: Galaxy, Earth, Universe, Solar system

Earth is part of the Solar System, the Solar System is part of the Galaxy, and the Milky Way Galaxy is part of the Universe.

Describe Nuclear fission

occurs when the temperature and pressure are great enough to

force smaller atoms to fuse into larger/heavier atoms.

What stage in stellar evolution occurs when elements heavier than iron are produced?

supernova

What are the different types of galaxies? The Milky Way is which type?

Spiral (Milky way), elliptical, irregular, barred spiral

Define galaxy

Billions of stars bound together by gravity.

Explain Einsteinʼs E=mc2 equation. What do the variables represent?

Einstein's equation explains how much energy is produced during the fusion

process. E=energy, m=mass, c=speed of light

What will magnetic storms cause in our atmosphere?

Aurora borealis

What can/did the solar wind do to the atmospheres of the inner planets?

Solar wind can strip away the atmospheric gases leaving a planet with none/very little atmosphere.

What is the solar wind? What layer of the Sun does it come from?

Solar wind are charged particles emitted by solar flare eruptions that are released from the corona.

What are the most explosive eruptions on the Sun called?

Solar flares

Solar flares can cause what phenomenon in our atmosphere?

Aurora Borealis

The energy the Sun expels into space is caused by what process?

Nuclear fusion of Hydrogen into Helium.

What is the Sun spot cycle? How often does it occur?

The amount of sun spots vary from a maximum to a minimum every 11 years.

If galaxies are showing a blue shift, what does this mean? If they show a red shift, what does this mean?

Blue shift means the wavelengths are getting shorter, so the object is moving

toward us.

Red shift means the wavelengths are getting longer, so the object is moving

away from us.

What group of stars has low luminosities and low temperatures? white dwarf, red

giant, red dwarf, blue supergiants, main sequence.

Red Dwarfs

How do the massive main sequence stars compare to the smaller main sequence stars in terms of temperature and luminosity?

The massive main sequence stars are much hotter and more luminous.

What is the shift in wavelength of light emitted by a moving light source known as?

Doppler effect

What number on the HR diagram would represent a higher apparent brightness ( +10 or a -5)?

-5

What stage of life is our sun currently experiencing?

Main Sequence

What is the primary evidence for the Big Bang Theory?

Most objects in space have Red shift, which means they are all moving away from each other.

A star moving away from earth would display ____ shift

Red

a star moving towards the earth would have a _____ shift

blue

After a supernova what are the 2 stages that a massive star might change into?

The stars with the most mass left over would form Black Holes.

Stars with less mass would form a Neutron Star.

What stage has helium being used as fuel that then expands the outer shell of planet?

Red giant/supergiant

According to the Doppler Effect, the wavelength of light is ___ shifted if the object is moving away from you. The wavelength of light is ____ shifted if the object is moving toward you.

Red, Blue

Would a red shift or blue shift of distant galaxies indicate that the universe is expanding?

Red shift

What is cosmic background radiation and how does it support the Big Bang?

It is left over energy from the initial expanse of the universe. It is everywhere in space.

Because of the Coriolis Effect, which way do tornadoes rotate? Are tornadoes high or low pressure?

Counterclockwise, low pressure

Between severe weather systems such as typhoons, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes, which has the highest wind speed and is the shortest lived?

Tornadoes

What conditions formed the 1956 Hudsonville tornado?

Cold dry air mass from the north met a hot humid air mass from the south. This formed a cold front.

Are thunderstorms a result of warm fronts or cold fronts?

Cold fronts

Do most thunderstorms occur near the poles, the equator, or the mid-latitudes?

Equator

Are thunderstorms a result of a stable or unstable atmosphere?

Unstable

During the mature stage of a thunderstorm, do updrafts, downdrafts, or both dominate?

Both updrafts and downdrafts

Pressure gradient causes wind. The greater the gradient, the stronger the wind.

What form of severe weather would have the steepest pressure gradient?

Tornadoes

Where do hurricanes get there energy? Why do hurricanes lose energy upon landfall?

Warm ocean water Lack of warm ocean water below it and increased friction with the land.

During what months are tornadoes most frequent?

April-June

What type of weather precedes a cold front? A warm front?

Cold front will have violent thunderstorms.

Warm front will have light rain.

What type of air mass is typically responsible for the lake-effect snow we receive?

Continental Polar air mass coming down from Canada.

List the different types of air masses (with symbols) and what conditions occur with each.

Continental Polar-cP -dry cold Continental Tropical-cT -dry warm

Maritime Polar-mP -wet cold Maritime Tropical-mT -wet warm

What property of water causes ocean water along coastal land areas to moderate the climate of those regions?

High Specific Heat

What is the water like in the deep ocean currents of the Atlantic Ocean?

Cold, high salinity(salt)

What causes the formation of deep Atlantic currents?

Density differences because of temperature and salt content

Looking at a diagram of Lake Michigan during the summer. How do the conditions differ on opposite sides of the lake?

During summer west Michigan is cooler and wetter than Wisconsin

During winter west Michigan is warmer and wetter than Wisconsin

What factors affect surface ocean currents?

Global winds, Coriolis Effect, position of continents

What is thermohaline circulation?

Thermo= heat; haline= salt: circulation of water with different temperature and salinity

What causes the thermohaline circulation?

Sinking of cold, salty water at the poles (due to increase salinity by: formation of

sea ice, evaporation) and movement of dense water on the ocean floor. Also the

heating of the ocean near the equator and cooling of water at the poles.

Why is northern Europe warmer than similar latitudes on the East side of the Atlantic?

Warm ocean water adjacent to the land in Europe, Gulf Stream bringing warm water across the ocean.

Where do maritime air masses form and what are the climates like that are affected by them?

They form over oceans, climates will have more moisture and water.

Our weather is often affected by an air mass from Canada. What type is this and what conditions does it bring with it?

Continental Polar. Dry and Cold. This will give us our lake effect snow when it picks up moisture as it crosses Lake Michigan.

What are gyres and what direction do they move?

Gyres are large surface ocean currents. They move clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere.

How does the Coriolis effect manipulate winds in Michigan?

Winds will turn to the right in the northern hemisphere.

Winds tend to blow from ______ pressure to ______ pressure.

Winds will move from high pressure to low pressure.

Why do the major winds not blow in straight lines?

Coriolis effect

What major wind belt effects our climate the most?

westerlies

What conditions are associated with the convergence of the trade winds?

Hot/Wet, Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

Draw what path the wind would follow in the United States as it circles around a high pressure system and blows into a low pressure system.

Around the high pressure the wind will go clockwise and around the low pressure it will move counterclockwise.

How does the strength of the Coriolis effect change at different latitudes?

The closer you get to the equator the weaker the Coriolis effect is. The closer to the

poles you get the stronger the Coriolis effect is.

What change does El Nino bring to the temperatures of the West coast of South America?

El Nino brings warm surface water back from the Western Pacific Ocean, so it warms

the temperatures up.

What is a major economic impact of the El Nino on South America?

The cold nutrient rich water is forced back down by the returning warm water. This causes the fish population to decrease in this area and the fishing industry/economy suffers.

Draw a diagram of wind approaching a mountain (label the windward and leeward side).

On the diagram, show the side that is cool and produces clouds.

The windward side will be cool and have clouds, because the air is forced up causing it to cool adiabatically.

What causes wind? What determines wind speed?

Wind is caused by differences in air pressure. The wind speed is determined by the pressure gradient. The larger the pressure difference the faster the wind.

Describe the climate conditions (temperature and moisture) on the windward side of mountains. Describe the climate conditions (temperature and moisture) on the leeward side of mountains.

Windward side= cool/wet/clouds

Leeward side= warmer/dry/no clouds

What happens to air pressure as air moves vertically?

Air pressure decreases as air moves vertically, because there is less air above it pushing down creating air pressure.